Tom Hiddleston is stepping away from Marvel for National Geographic’s three-part docudrama “Pompeii: Out of Time,” reuniting with “Loki” executive producer Kevin R. Wright. The series premieres July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu and uses both documentary storytelling
Tom Hiddleston’s next move doesn’t take him back into a Marvel costume—it puts him in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
The actor reunites with “Loki” executive producer Kevin R. Wright for a new National Geographic docudrama, “Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston.” The three-part series premieres July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu, and National Geographic has released the first trailer.
The format is built for tension: the project blends documentary storytelling with scripted dramatic sequences. as Hiddleston explores the final hours before Pompeii was devastated in A.D. 79. He’s guided through the story by archaeologists. historians. geologists. and disaster experts—while the series zeroes in on findings said to challenge long-standing assumptions about what happened during the catastrophe. Among the most striking claims are discoveries suggesting that many people may have had an opportunity to escape.
As the disaster unfolds, Hiddleston follows the stories of several real Romans whose lives were forever changed by what happened next. The point, he says, isn’t only to look at how Pompeii’s story ended—but what led into it.
In a statement. Hiddleston described his lifelong pull toward the ancient world: “The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life.” He added that visiting Pompeii lets the past feel close in a way history books can’t capture—“to feel the distance of the 2. 000 years between now and then compress.”.
He framed the series as a way to make that time tangible: “Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest and real. Our relationship with the past is alive — studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation. It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series.”.
Reflecting on the project. he returned to the human scale of those moments: “Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer. we can uncover the details of people’s lives. the choices they made. and the moments that came before the city was buried. To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people. caught in an extraordinary moment. and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light. is a genuine honor.”.
“Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston” premieres July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu.
Tom Hiddleston Loki Kevin R. Wright Pompeii: Out of Time National Geographic Disney+ Hulu A.D. 79 Mount Vesuvius Pompeii documentary docudrama
Wait so Tom Hiddleston is doing Pompeii now?? Like Loki but history, cool I guess.
National Geographic always gotta add “docudrama” like it’s some kind of movie. If people could escape then why didn’t more escape? Seems kinda sus.
I’m confused, isn’t Pompeii like… already known? Also I saw a TikTok that said the eruption was smaller than they thought, so maybe that’s what this is about? Either way I’ll watch.
So it premieres July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu which means it’ll be gone in a week lol. But also “challenge long-standing assumptions” usually means they’re gonna say something wild like it wasn’t Vesuvius. Right? I don’t know.